‘Rain’ falls on Broadway

Beatles tribute concert gets 11-week run

“Beatlemania,” all the band’s original members appeared in that 1977 Main Stem outing.

The fall slot for “Rain” helps fill a hole in the schedule at the Neil Simon, which has long been reserved for the upcoming “Phantom of the Opera” sequel “Love Never Dies.” That show, which had been set to bow in Gotham in the fall, was eventually pushed back to spring 2011 following a poorly reviewed London opening. (Reps for the show officially attributed the delay to the health concerns of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.)

“Rain” is planned as a two-hour show with perfs of Beatle tunes including “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Hey Jude,” “Twist and Shout,” and others. Music and vocals are all performed live, with multimedia elements that include docu footage and TV ads from the era.

Original band lineup — consisting of Joey Curatolo, Joe Bithorn, Ralph Castelli, Steve Landes and Mark Lewis — will at some perfs be augmented with other musicians.

Show is produced on the Main Stem by Annerin Prods., Magic Arts and Entertainment/Tix Prods. and Nederlander Presentations, Inc.

“Rain” begins previews at the Neil Simon Oct. 19 ahead of an Oct. 26 opening. Limited run will stretch through the lucrative Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday frames — giving the show a chance to cash in on tourist crowds potentially attracted by the enduringly powerful Beatles name — and is now set to shutter Jan. 2.

Fab Four tunes already have a successful stage showcase in Vegas, where Cirque du Soleil offering “Love” has proven a hit.